Small transport pilot taxied without clearance due to frequency congestion.

Attributes
ACN	125343
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sba
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 3180 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	125343
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departing sba for vny on a saturday afternoon. Following engine start, I received the ATIS and obtained arsa VFR clearance for departing sba. I attempted to contact ground control for taxi but the frequency was overloaded with controller instructions to several other aircraft. So I began to taxi from parking to taxiway thinking that anytime there would be a break in the transmission so I could call. I continued on to taxiway behind 2 other aircraft and finally was able to contact ground for taxi clearance. Ground controller admonished me for taxiing out without contact. Well, I agree with this, but with the radio tied up with overloaded communications it's difficult. This is especially noticeable at santa barbara now that there is a new arsa in effect. Approach and departure frequencys are really congested.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT TAXIED WITHOUT CLRNC DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION.

Narrative: DEPARTING SBA FOR VNY ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON. FOLLOWING ENGINE START, I RECEIVED THE ATIS AND OBTAINED ARSA VFR CLRNC FOR DEPARTING SBA. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT GND CTL FOR TAXI BUT THE FREQ WAS OVERLOADED WITH CTLR INSTRUCTIONS TO SEVERAL OTHER ACFT. SO I BEGAN TO TAXI FROM PARKING TO TXWY THINKING THAT ANYTIME THERE WOULD BE A BREAK IN THE XMISSION SO I COULD CALL. I CONTINUED ON TO TXWY BEHIND 2 OTHER ACFT AND FINALLY WAS ABLE TO CONTACT GND FOR TAXI CLRNC. GND CTLR ADMONISHED ME FOR TAXIING OUT WITHOUT CONTACT. WELL, I AGREE WITH THIS, BUT WITH THE RADIO TIED UP WITH OVERLOADED COMS IT'S DIFFICULT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE AT SANTA BARBARA NOW THAT THERE IS A NEW ARSA IN EFFECT. APCH AND DEP FREQS ARE REALLY CONGESTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.